FARMINGTON – A new regional park is in the offing for the fast-growing city of Farmington.

The city council was due to approve rezoning and related issues in its Tuesday, Nov. 19 meeting. About 40 acres is included in this first phase, located at 650 West.

It’s near property purchased by the Davis School District for a proposed high school.

The park could be compared to Kaysville’s 30-plus acre Barnes Park, combining outstanding athletic spaces and facilities with picnicking and other amenities.

Work on initial grading and storm drain preparation could start in December, City Manager Dave Millheim said.

The park will serve as a home for soccer, baseball and other recreation programs.

It’ll be 200 yards from the city’s public works building, located at 720 W. 100 North, eliminating the need for additional maintenance equipment or facilities, Millheim said.

The taxpayers won’t incur big expense thanks to several factors:

Ґ CenterCal, owners of Station Park, will purchase the city’s old public works building and site that it has leased as office space for the past several years.

ҐA new charter school is buying five acres of city-owned property on the north end of the park area.

“This is one of those things I tried to work on during my whole term as mayor,” said Scott Harbertson, who decided not to run for a third term. “Two to three months ago, things started to fall in place. One thing that helped this process happen is the charter school that wants to get started immediately.”

CenterCal also wanted the asset of the old public works building.

“Farmington really needed to add another park,” mayor elect Jim Talbot said. “We have this ground on the west side that is spectacular.”

Talbot added that the city was looking at putting together a “major park that is not only for those (immediate area) residents,” but for all residents.

“It’s been discussed for a long time,” he said. “It just seemed like all the pieces of the puzzle came together.”

The park could grow in size beyond 40 acres, Millheim said, adding that would happen gradually.

“I’ve always wanted to try to make both sides of the city understand and realize there’s not an east and west. It’s Farmington,” he said.